One by one, they poured out Friday, thousands of stories of sexual abuse posted to social media — a conversation that was ignited after news broke of a leaked video showing Donald Trump bragging about having his way with women.

In the video obtained by The Washington Post Friday, the Republican presidential nominee is heard making vulgar comments about women in a 2005 conversation with host Billy Bush, then-host of “Access Hollywood.” Their conversation was caught on a hot microphone and included Trump’s sentiments that he could kiss and touch women freely because he was “a star.”

“Grab them by the p—y,” Trump says in the recording. “You can do anything.”

When news of the leaked video broke Friday, it unleashed a deluge of criticism — from condemnation by private citizens to backlash from politicians on both sides — as well as a flurry of responses from Trump surrogates who defended him. In a long campaign that has been filled with falsehoods and shocking statements, this revelation crossed the line, some said, because what Trump seemed to condone was nothing short of sexual assault.

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